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Friday, August 25, 2006

Pluto - new classification

Pluto has recently had its status as a planet revoked - it is now called a 'dwarf planet'. Note that this is not intended to imply anything about its inhabitants.

Additional rumors have declassified it even further, to a "Disco ball planet" (see here for an image), but these are unfounded.

Apparently there are seven such Dwarfs in our solar system. I think Walt Disney was onto something. However, it seems confusing to have a Dwarf named Pluto. Everyone knows Pluto is a dog.

My suggestion, and I'm going to make this suggestion to the International Astronomical Union, or to Disney, is that to avoid confusion we rename Pluto and the other Dwarfs to: Sleepy, Happy, Grumpy, Dopey, Sneezy, Bashful and Doc. And Pluto should be the nickname of the Dog Star.